Calling In The Night
by sweetlygleaming
Summary: Ross visits Trenwith and is taken ill...Inspired by the casting of the 2015 BBC television series and interpretations by Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark and Heida Reed as Elizabeth. [RossxElizabeth]
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth gazed out of the paned glass of the window from the library at Trenwith her heart skipping a beat as she saw Ross Poldark dismounting his horse near the front entrance of the house. She gracefully descended the stair to see him in.

"Ross, how good of you to visit. I fear Francis is not at home at the moment. He has more important things to occupy his time."

His brooding gaze seemed to penetrate her soul.  
"I've come to see if there was anything I could do if I could be of any service to you and Francis. Perhaps, he could see reason. His lifestyle choices are not..."

He noticed Elizabeth looked down to hide her emotion- the look of despair upon her face.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. You don't deserve..."

"We are managing as best we can." She interrupted for fear of her true emotions and reaction to his pity.

Ross then turned his head away from her to cover a hacking cough.

"Oh, Ross. You're not well. I should have guessed. You look quite pale." Elizabeth then took the liberty of pressing her hand to his forehead.

"You're feverish. Come, you must lie down." As there was no servant to assist him, Elizabeth was bold enough to link her arm with his to guide him towards a guest bedroom to lie down.

"You must rest." She continued.

"Elizabeth, I can't..." But, Ross's speech ceased as his body became quite weak. He slightly collapsed as he felt his feet and legs give way beneath him. Elizabeth made him sit upon the bed before his body could hit the ground. He lay back. Elizabeth then could sense he was experiencing chills along with the fever and congestion of the chest. She removed his boots. She left the room some moments to return quickly with a small vile of something and a pitcher of water on tray along with several linen towels. Elizabeth then noticed that he could hardly hold his eyes open and his breathing was short. She watched his chest rise and fall and could time his short breaths. He slightly wheezed as his breathing became more laboured.

"I'll tell Francis to send for Dr. Enys as soon as gets back. I don't want to leave you here."

She took the liberty of opening his shirt. Her eyes sparkled as she did so very gracefully, and it had become apparent to Ross even in his half-alert state that she did so very lovingly and tenderly.

She opened the vile.  
"This is a balm...it will give you some relief and soothe you.

Ross closed his eyes as her hand gently massaged his chest to aid in the absorption of the balm.

Elizabeth seemed to try to mask her desire for fear that Ross would notice if he opened his eyes again. She had not been given the opportunity to touch Ross in so intimate a way before. She moved her other hand to feel his head again.

"My God, your fever's worse." She dipped a towel in the cool water and softly bathed his brow.  
"It must break." There was worry in her voice.

Ross began to fall sleep. Uncomfortable though he was, he was indeed exhausted.

Hours passed and Elizabeth remained at his side.

Night had fallen and Francis had not returned.

Ross became delirious in the night sweating and began to experience night terrors. Elizabeth was sleeping in a chair beside the bed but was awoken to his crying out. She gently raised her head and sat upon his bed.

"SSShhhh..." She tried to comfort him. "Ross, hush now...Everything's going to be all right." She tried bathing his forehead again. She gazed at his restless body and alarmingly realized that his shirt was soaked in his sweat. She moved to fetch him a clean one-though it belonged to Francis-better than leaving him in his own soaked one.

She drew his coverlet down a bit further, so that she could draw his shirt up over his head gently and off of his body.

Elizabeth noticed Ross's strong, muscular physique and body was quite limp. He seemed so helpless in these moments. It made her want to cry.

"Shhh" she continued to whisper. He did not open his eyes but was mumbling nonsense.

She then placed the clean, dry shirt over his head and pulled it down over his chest most tenderly and sweetly.

Then, Ross began to speak more clearly yet still in delirium.

Ross didn't know what he was saying..."Elizabeth...Elizabeth?" She almost answered him to let him know she was there but remained silent as she heard him continue, "Elizabeth, my one true...Why must you...why have you let Francis take you from me? He has taken you from me. Elizabeth, my one true love...Lost...Lost...Lost forever."

The tears continued to fill her eyes as she heard this. She moved to put another cool towel upon his head. It was the wee hours of the morning and Francis finally trotted in drunk and stumbling along the stairs wailing Elizabeth's name. He crossed the occupied guest room that's door remained open wide and could see the slight glow of a fire lit within. Surprised at that, he entered to a sight at which he rubbed his eyes.

"Elizabeth? What's this?" Though Francis was not sober, he was aware of Ross lying in the bed and Elizabeth sitting there upon it at his side. He gave the couple an intensely jealous glare.  
"Take Ross's horse to fetch Dr. Enys." She responded angrily as if to allude to the loathing of Francis's whereabouts.


	2. Chapter 2

This short story was originally intended to be a one-shot, but I've decided to add another chapter by request.  
Thank you for your kind reviews! I may write 1 or 2 more chapters as well before I truly consider it complete now.

...

"I am not to be commanded! Especially not when I return home to find my wife sitting upon the bed in which her half-dressed former lover lies!" Francis interjected.

"Francis, go now!" She pleaded in an angry tone. "There's no one to...Ross has a very bad fever. Dr. Enys will undoubtedly provide the proper medicinal remedy. We've nothing else here to help him. It's been hours, and his fever has not broken."

"Why is it our problem that Ross is ill? I'll tell you what I am willing to do-I've a mind to set him upon his horse and ride back to Nampara to deliver him to his wife! Demelza can play nurse to him! Not you, Elizabeth! Not my wife!"

"No. He can't be moved in this state. It's not safe.

Do you have any idea the hours I waited for you to return home? Do you have any idea of the hour now? The sun is nearly risen."

"OF COURSE," Francis mocked her..."no need to speak again of your obvious and endless disappointment in me, Elizabeth." Francis answered.

"Poor, pitiful Ross! What timing! I'm not at home-'Let's put Ross to bed, Undress him...'" speaking in what he thought he could consider Elizabeth's plan of seduction.

Inwardly, Elizabeth was seething with anger now. She wanted to slap Francis across the face.

"HOW DARE YOU! YOU ARE OVERWHELMINGLY INSUFFERABLE, FRANCIS! I bear your drunken foolishness time and time again-day after day! Neither Ross nor I have the time now for this- your childish behaviour."

"Insufferable am I? I'll tell you what's insufferable. How am I to exist in a sober state of being knowing you will always prefer Ross to me? You don't think I know the secrets of your heart? I know you never loved me. You deny me abed... or... you pretend I'm him..."

"Francis, stop all this! Please, help your cousin. You owe him. He saved your life once. Will you deny him his?"

"So serious...All right. Know that I still wish to please you." Francis's tongue was abrupt and ridiculous in his inebriated state.

Elizabeth made Francis drink from a cup of coffee she prepared to aid in her vigil.

With that, Francis left.

Elizabeth returned to Ross's bedside.

Ross continued to whisper her name.

Elizabeth stared at him. Her eyes becoming softer and softer in her gaze. She could no longer resist. She took his hand in hers and brought it very slowly and gently to her lips. Her mind was against it, but her soul obeyed the first of its desires in that moment.

She expected to feel regret after giving in to this little temptation. She did not.


	3. Chapter 3

Time passed, and Dr. Enys entered the room. He administered an injection. Francis frowned knowing Elizabeth never left Ross's side for the duration of his journey.

"You must continue to monitor his condition. He should improve, but stay with him." Dr. Enys instructed.

"Perhaps, I should have fetched Demelza. She'll be wondering where her husband is." Francis whined.

He left the room, as he couldn't watch Elizabeth and Ross any longer.

He went to the library to pour himself another glass.

Ross's fever broke, and he seemed to awake from his delirium.

"Elizabeth, what's happened...I..." He struggled to sit up and looked around taking in his surroundings. His shirt was open. He took in the state of his body.

"Ross, don't exert yourself. You're weak."

"How long have I been in this bed?"

"A day or so...It was a high fever" Elizabeth answered him guiding him to lie back again.

"You look exhausted." His voice had not gained its strength, so his words projected little more than the volume of a whisper. "You've been here at my side all the time? You've not got much rest."

"I...wanted to...tend to you...take care of you...I needed to...be sure you were all right...I...couldn't lose you... again..." The word "again" she whispered tearily in shock of her own admission of her soul's feelings."

In that moment, Ross turned to lock his gaze with hers-his brooding and soul-piercing gaze-with a look of wonder upon his face.

They heard rushing footsteps. Demelza appeared in the doorway.

"ROSS," she cried.

Elizabeth rose from her place upon the bed looking down almost as if reality had truly returned to her as she saw Demelza. She knew Ross was lost to her now. She gracefully and slowly backed away from his bedside as Demelza knelt before him.

"When you didn't come home, I was worried sick. I fell asleep and woke in the morning to find you had never returned for the night. I knew something serious must have happened to you. I should have searched here first. Francis told me when I came in that you fell ill here."

"I apologise to have worried you so, wife." He spoke.

"Nevermind. I'm glad you are safe and on the mend now." Demelza replied.

Elizabeth was exiting the room.

"Elizabeth?" Ross called quietly to stop her for a moment.

She turned to look at him.

"Thank you," He said so very genuinely and with graciousness.

"Of course," Elizabeth's voice was like a lullaby in response.

She then continued to exit. She swallowed her choked up feeling of all the emotions that rose within her when she was at Ross's side. Her heart seemed to sink in her chest.

He was lost...lost...perhaps...forever.


End file.
